The Benefits of Bone Broth: Why This Superfood Is More Than Just a Trend + How to Drink More
In the cold months, it’s easy to reach for an extra cup of coffee or hot chocolate to get you through a chilly afternoon at work. But what if your drink of choice could actively reduce inflammation, clear your skin, and help you meet your protein goals?
I’m talking about bone broth. The viral drink that’s got everyone (even the celebrities) talking about its benefits. As a holistic nutritionist, I can confirm that bone broth deserves its superfood reputation.
But you shouldn’t drink it just because you’ve heard it’s good for you. You should drink it with intention and, preferably, with delicious recipes.
Is Bone Broth Good for You?
Yes, bone broth is a superfood. It’s packed full of nutrients like collagen, gelatin, protein, and minerals. Better yet, it’s an easy way to reduce food waste and incorporate “nose-to-tail” eating into your life (without actually cooking organ meats).
But the biggest reason you should start drinking bone broth on a daily basis is because of the natural glycine content. This is an amino acid that builds skin structure, promoting healthy connective tissue, muscles, and bones.
It also plays a key role in hormone regulation and the production of glutathione. This is why bone broth has made such big waves in health communities. It’s genuinely helping people correct hormone imbalance and promote healthy skin and gut function (thanks to the glycine).
The Benefits of Bone Broth
When you start drinking more bone broth, what results can you expect? This depends on your personal health goals and what your body needs. But studies have shown that the benefits of bone broth could include…
Bright and clear skin
Bone broth provides the components your body needs to create healthy and glowing skin. Unlike skincare products, bone broth works from the inside out — gently nourishing with collagen, minerals, and amino acids to boost skin elasticity and reduce acne.
Less joint pain
Sometimes, joint pain is a structural issue. Meaning, your body simply doesn’t have the nutrients needed to support healthy tissue, bones, and ligaments. If this is fueling your joint pain, you may notice significant improvements after drinking bone broth.
Improves digestive and gut health
One study suggests that gelatin and glycine (nutrients found in bone broth) are so anti-inflammatory, they can reverse damage to the gut’s mucosal lining. This means, if you have leaky gut, bone broth is the perfect healing snack (especially on an empty stomach). Bone broth has also been suggested to benefit ulcerative colitis.
Quality sleep
The nutrients in bone broth can help calm the nervous system, gently coaxing the body out of fight-or-flight and into a restful state. Since glutamine (an amino acid in bone broth) supports liver function, this can help promote quality sleep in people who are actively detoxing.
Fewer nutrient deficiencies
Nutrient deficiencies are becoming a widespread issue for a number of reasons. Our topsoil isn’t as nutrient-dense as it used to be, and American diets are becoming more processed (aka nutrient-depleted) than ever before. The reason superfoods have become so popular is because we desperately need foods that are packed to the brim with nutrients — and bone broth is one of those foods.
Boosts mental clarity
Many neurotransmitters (particularly, serotonin) are made in the gut. This means, if the gut is out of balance, the brain may also be impacted. Symptoms like brain fog, low dopamine, mental stress, anxiety, and depression are common in people with gut issues. And the amino acids in bone broth may be able to help.
Stronger immune system
Not only does bone broth feel soothing to a sore throat, it has immune-boosting benefits that are perfect for flu season. In studies, bone broth has shown to “decrease the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines” — reducing inflammation and boosting immune system health.
Nutrients in Bone Broth
To understand exactly how bone broth works, it’s important to know about the nutrients it contains. Since it’s no longer common to eat a nose-to-tail diet, we often miss out on these nutrients that were essential to our ancestors’ survival:
Amino acids
These are molecules that create a protein (in other words, the “building blocks” of protein). But they also have unique benefits on their own. Glycine is great for nervous system health, glutamine supports the gut, and tyrosine helps with mental focus. All of these amino acids (and more) are found in bone broth.
Collagen
Supplemental collagen is on the rise, but you can get all the same benefits from a cup of bone broth. Collagen is the body’s most abundant protein — and it’s responsible for skin elasticity, mobility, gut lining repair, and keeping ligaments healthy.
Protein
If you’re struggling to balance your blood sugar or meet your protein goals, bone broth is a nutrient-dense solution. The average cup of bone broth contains around ten grams of protein, comparable to a half cup of Greek yogurt.
Gelatin
A high-quality bone broth should contain plenty of natural gelatin, a nutrient that’s not commonly found in modern foods. Gelatin can support muscle repair, healthy skin, good hormone function, and blood sugar balance.
Minerals
Bone broth is a nutrient powerhouse. It’s full of essential minerals and electrolytes, like magnesium, potassium, calcium, and phosphorus.
How Much Bone Broth Should You Drink per Day?
Drinking a cup of bone broth every day is a healthy habit to maintain. But if you’re pregnant, trying to meet protein goals, or struggling with nutrient deficiencies, you can drink up to four cups in a day.
Bone Broth in Pregnancy
Drinking bone broth is perfectly acceptable in pregnancy, and it’s one of my favorite ways to combat morning sickness. Most women can stomach bone broth even on their worst symptom days, and it’s full of protein, vitamins, and minerals.
Another reason to love bone broth in pregnancy is its benefits for your skin, ligament, and muscle. Collagen and gelatin can help build healthy bones and support the brain development of your baby. They may also safeguard your body against pregnancy injuries and tearing.
Unique Ways to Eat More Bone Broth
Drinking a warm mug of bone broth every day is sufficient. But I often run across clients who like to be more creative with their bone broth consumption. Here are some of my favorite ways to make bone broth a part of your everyday life:
Egg drop soup
To make this, heat up 2 cups of high-quality bone broth over the stove. Once it's simmering, add in turmeric and any other spices to flavor the soup. Then, crack 2 eggs into a bowl and then slowly pour them into the soup while gently whisking. You’ll notice bits of white and yellow as the egg cooks (this is normal). Once your egg is completely cooked, serve warm.
Bone broth hot chocolate
It might sound a little strange at first, but this is a great way to add more protein to your hot chocolate. I recommend using a homemade chocolate syrup recipe (substitute maple syrup or honey for sugar) and mixing it with bone broth powder. Then, heat up some raw milk and mix it all together.
Use it as a soup base
You can substitute bone broth for chicken or beef stock in almost any recipe. This is a great way to boost the nutrient content of your soup and avoid any flavors or fillers found in chicken or beef stock.
Add it to rice or potatoes
For extra flavor, you can cook your rice in bone broth or add it to mashed potatoes.
Best Bone Broth Brands
When buying bone broth, you want to make sure there are no added ingredients or natural flavors, which can take away from the nutrients. If you’re using beef bone broth, it should be 100% grass-fed.
Here are some brands I recommend…
Kettle & Fire. An easy-to-access brand with organic ingredients and 100% grass-fed beef.
Paleovalley. They have a number of different powder bone broth options and flavors.
Boulder Broth. A great option if you’re in Colorado, Boulder Broth is 100% grass-fed and contains plenty of gelatin.
FOND Bone Broth. It’s regeneratively raised and tested for glyphosate.
You can also make your own from chicken or beef scraps found at your local butcher. Just make sure to ask questions about how the meat is raised.
Like Any Healthy Food, Bone Broth Requires Consistency and Good Sourcing
If you want to experience the benefits of bone broth, there are a few things to keep in mind. You should always source your broth from a high-quality and sustainable brand. I personally look for regenerative broth that’s pasture-raised (for chicken) or 100% grass-fed and finished (for beef). A thick and gelatin-like consistency can indicate a broth that’s nutrient-dense, too.
Want More Nutrition Tips?